Archive for February, 2009
More restructuring needed?
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 26/02/2009
The recession is likely to drive a radical restructuring of London’s health economy, was the message conveyed by Professor Steve Smith (CEO of Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust) and Sir Robert Naylor (CEO of UCLH NHS Foundation Trust) at a seminar organised by Civitas today.
Misdiagnosing the Cause of Present-Day Educational Failure
Posted by David Conway in Education on 24/02/2009
EU summit to challenge protectionism
Posted by Claire Daley in European Union on 24/02/2009
The Eastern members of the European Union are holding a mini-summit prior to all EU Heads of States and Governments convening an emergency summit on 1st March 2009 to discuss protectionism, writes Kyial Arabaeva. Mr. Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, Poland’s Europe Minister, told Poland’s PAP news agency: ‘We want to send a clear message that we support the European Union’s position in favour of defending the common market and that we are against protectionism.”
Red Tories
Posted by David Green in British History, Politics on 23/02/2009
In the latest issue of Prospect Phillip Blond makes a case for localism, but he seems to think his proposals require a rejection of liberalism, whereas in fact they are simply the natural outgrowth of liberal ideas. In particular he is grossly mistaken about some of the characteristics he attributes to liberalism. His article has provoked considerable criticism, including my defence of liberalism.
Solving the wrong problem
Posted by Anastasia de Waal in Education on 20/02/2009
Today the ‘biggest review in forty years’ of the primary curriculum, the Cambridge Primary Review, published its two-part special report today under the remit ‘The condition and future of primary education in England’. As ‘[i]n our [the Primary Review’s] evidence, the curriculum attracted more comment than any other issue,’ the Review findings, which are based on three years of quantitative and qualitative research, focus on the primary curriculum.
Targets in healthcare: more harm than good?
Posted by James Gubb in Health on 19/02/2009
One of the most pervasive beliefs in government is that quality in the NHS is a function of individuals who need buttons pressed and levers pulled by targets to deliver optimal performance. This is misguided. The most intractable problems in health care—the lack of communication, leadership, and teamwork; the lack of integration; and the lack of any meaningful, patient focused, quality framework—are systemic or cultural. And targets have only made them worse. If you treat people like knaves and pawns, they will behave like them.
Continued at bmj.com.